Clicking Mad Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I hang around here more often my poor boy has been through a bit the past fortnight. He is 12.5 years old. I had to take him to the vet for a re-script of his arthritis pain medication, as it had been 6mths since our last visit, and I knew the vets would want to do a check-up before re-filling the script ... so I gave him a bath/shower: the vet noticed a lump in his abdomen and took some blood for testing that day notice the white fur-line towards his back legs is quite straight rather than the usual tuck? almost down to his knees: it was either liver or spleen the blood revealed normal liver function so we ordered an x-ray the morning of x-rays, keeping happy: Monday just past, and the x-ray and ultrasound showed a large mass on his spleen, but no spread to his chest the operation went ahead on Friday to remove the mass and his spleen it was approximately 9cm wide and weighed in at 2.5kg! the evening before the operation: and his shaved belly: he stayed in over night on fluids and I picked him up Saturday afternoon pathology on what kind of mass was removed will be determined before the end of the next week and stitches out in 10 days the vets and vet nurses have been fantastic and I can't thank them enough for the effort they put in Texas has been great through the whole process, didn't need sedation for the x-ray/ultrasounds and everyone at the clinic wanted to take him home, even with the barking the hour before I went to pick him up I hardly ever hear him bark since he's been home he's been quite sore though, and the bucket on his head to stop him licking/biting at his stitches has me cringing everytime he walks into a doorway as far as him showing signs before I took him to the vet, I've only really thought about them in retrospect 1. he was refusing to go for walks - which I put down to his arthritis 2. I noticed an enlarged belly - which I put down to not getting his walks - I just thought he was getting fat :D 3. his weight loss - I didn't really think anything of when the vet asked because I'd dropped his food because of the enlarged belly but mostly he has been his usual happy self, no noticable change in water consumption or eliminations, bouncy when I got him excited, and especially around dinner time. I feel a little "OMG how did I miss a 2.5kg mass?" but with him behaving so normally, I'm not sure I would have done anything differently. I've seen him before really down and hot, refusing food and taken him to emergency and that turned out to be a nasty grass seed in his face - he hasn't behaved like that at all through this - it's so hard to see. I did a lot of research into liver cancers, and then spleen cancers in dogs (with this link being very useful dol ) and it didn't make for very happy reading, but I just kept looking at Texas and he just hasn't showed any other signs that would indicate malignancy, so I'm expecting a positive result with the pathology. My poor old boy is looking very scrawny at the moment though, and all I want to do is feed him up, but I have to do it slowly so he's getting a few small meals a day, he had a tummy tuck and lost 2.5kg in a day I'm hoping with that huge mass out of him that he'll be a lot more comfortable and keen to get out on walks again after he recovers fully, 'cause he's always enjoyed his walks! I don't want to disturb him too much so haven't taken pics of his stitched belly, but here's his sad "bucket-head" face from last night: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoL Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 oh baby, give him a hug so glad he's through the surgery, hope all goes well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vehs Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 poor little munchkin - hope he comes up good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nillasdad Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Poor Baby, hugs from us... Don't beat yourself up over not noticing it earlier. I reckon you'd have to be a Psychic to pick that up. Thing that counts is that it is gone and he is on the road to recovery! michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poo d'état Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Lovely set Clicking Mad, especially love the shot of him resting, with his shaved belly. Hugs to both you and Texas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tez Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Poor Texas!!! He is a lovely handsome and very young looking dog...such bright clear eyes for a lad his age!!! Gotta say though, those last few photos of his sad face made me tear up. Hope he starts feeling better soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo01 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Aw, sorry to hear Texas is going through so much at the moment *Big higs to you both* Lovely pics, I have to say he still looks fab even though he is unwell at the moment for 12.5yrs young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Poor boy, it's good you got it out and that he hasn't shown alot of symptoms, meaning hopefully he hasn't been too uncomfortable with it. It's times like this I think too, aren't you glad you have a camera. So many of my animals have passed with almost no photos of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthless Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Hope he's feeling better soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horus Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Hope that all is well, CM. I see that Texas still has that boy-ish twinkle in his eye so I hope that he is back to his old self very soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordcookie Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 :D poor little bugger,hope hes all good now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redangel Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Heres hoping for a favorable report. I have an oldie at home (14yrs) who was intensive care 2 weeks after a pyometra last year. The vet said I was lucky to pick it up as the signs werent so obvious (I was vet nursing bf kids) I even had to convince the vet to surgery as the tox/bloods came up neg. Once in surgery it was 'one of the worst he'd seen for a while". In retrospect she had been slowing down for a few weeks pre diagnosis. Her daily activities were more labored- I put it down to age/cold weather, as she has several fused vertebrae. Now back from surgery she is living life to the max....she is the loudest barker in the house- after no bark in 14yrs we thought she was mute. Its so nice to say will someone tell Mimi to SHUT UP! Her mum made 18 so we hope she will stay strong. All the best for the results. Get well Texas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clicking Mad Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 thank you all for your well wishes, he's certainly getting a lion's share of hugs redangel - glad you caught Mimi's problem and she's living life full again - it's so nice to read that michael - thanks :D Well, the vet rang this afternoon the results are that it was a hematoma ... blood clot ... not a tumour at all! the best news possible! the vet was very pleased, as am I obviously, but you know, I had a feeling it was going to be positive The first night after surgery was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be, he cried every time he moved - and he's been following me around everywhere! But, he was good last night and today he's let me go out of his sight for more than a minute or 2. And his stitches are looking better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 That's one massive blood clot! Does he say what might have caused it. Fantastic news though, he's going to be OK. He'll feel better with that gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 That is great news! I can imagine how relieved you are. He is such a beautiful boy, best wishes for a quick recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clicking Mad Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 not sure what caused it, it's one of those things, it was coming off the spleen so it could have just started out as a small bleed that just kept going. Yup, removing it is curative so it's fantastic news :D He's still looking a little sad in his bucket head, and walking into doorways doesn't seem as much painful as just annoying for him, he's so much better, happier and bouncy at dinner time again, he has a very funny bouncy dance at dinner time - I tried to keep him settled but it's good to see he's feeling better these were taken yesterday afternoon hmm, if looks could kill he looks more border collie with his ears all squashed he's definitely feeling better thanks everyone ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redangel Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 What a capture that last pic was, not just the detail but the fact those eyes are looking much brighter and alert. Onya Texas...it wont be long till you are back on top of it all and back to enjoying life to its fullest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Hi I hope Texas is feeling a lot better now, I only just catching up on new about the place after being away, So glad it was not a tumour, you must have been so relieved. I bet the poor fella feels better with that big lump of blood gone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BittyMooPeeb Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 These are beautiful pictures clicking mad. I am glad your boy was diagnosed and will soon be much more comfortable (once he manages to eat that ^%*%*&^*( bucket ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clicking Mad Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 oh thanks again guys. He's back to his old self again for sure, no more walking into walls, me, or the other dogs, eating the bucket instead of his food 'cause he never quite figured out the bucket can go over his bowl rather than in it, and no more stitches!! I took him to the park with Jamie straight from the vet 'scuse his old ground-down teeth but check out his smile and not really wanting to hang around for photos "want to go sniff NOW" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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